Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-04-09
PAYING DEBTS.
By PAUL II. MOORE.

John Ramsay was working on bis farm,
- careless, loose dress displaying to adj
vasage his tail, muscular figure, and q
&road straw hat shaded q handsome face,
nth large dark eyes set beneath FORE
had whose breadth and height indicated a
peverful brain. The hands that guided
IL pleugh were strong hands, but winter
- more delicate than such pursuits
u6uAlly allow.
Daisy Hale sat watching him. Her dress
vas print, but made with dounces on the
ss1iet and rufaes on the waist. Her short
& &a1en hair was curled in fringe care
t11lJ over her forehead, and gathered in
- curls into a comb behind, above
vllich was q very jaunty hat, covered with
nils Of white muslin and bows of blue
@bboq to match the spots upon her dress.
The face under Daisy's hat was gloomy;
ms to say cross. A very pretty face. but
,uuE pleasant, having q petted, spoiled
shld frown, and brooding discomfort in
~ahe large blue eyes.
Presently the farmer drew near her, and
Nos&ing off his hat, famed himself with it,
slepping his horses while he leaned in
1ssently against the plow.
sYoa look deliciously cool under this
Great tree," he said. sAnd-hem!-very
1ach dressed for 9 o'clock in the morn
hgr
asmptuously. aWhen are you coming in?"
sAt noon, to dinner"
cit is too absurd, she broke out, angry
a.ars in her eyes, afor you to be blowing.
ssnd hoeing, and milking COWS, and doing
do work Of laboring man! I thought
vhen you came home from college you
would do something besides work on q
Arm."
sAnd let the farm go to ruin. That
would be poor way to pay my debts"
your debts!" she said, looking aston
1sAsd. @Do you owe debts2"
sCertainlyl You and I are both very
Aervily in debt, Daisy. I think when Aunt
Nary took us in, poor little orphans, her
,nsphew, you her second cousin"
"Third cousin" she interrupted, "since
eyou are 80 particular know what you
,Rean, but am very sure that Aunt Mary
saever intended us to drudge on her horrid
Old farm!"
sDo you know that all the money
sAs saved in life of hard work
mas spent upon our education7 Do you
know that she has nothing now
Nu& the farm, and that to take her
away from it would probably shorten her
@She always has taken care of it her
elf"
AAre you blind that you cann"t see how
Che four years she has been alV here
have aged her, how feeble she is? Wiuie
ee were living at ease at college and school
she has toiled for Us until she is wearied
e7ut."
~But you could send her money, if you
y were in the city in some gentlemanly occu-
patton"
%Perhsps SO; ten or twelve years from
NOW. To-day I propose to work this
farm, and see how many bushels of corn
can raise on it."
He took hold of the pillow handles as he
spoke, started the horses, and left her,
s~laer eyes full of angry tears.
@He might as we'll have said what he
meant" she thought, springing down and
starting for the house. "He thinks I
s7ught to cook, and wash, and make butter,
sind work like q servant girl, when have
Studied 30 hard and tried to make myself
. lady, that he might not be ashamed of
.me."
And yet, in her heart, she knew that he
vas ashamed of her, and that she de-
served it. Ashamed that she could sit in
4her room, selfshly engrossed in making
pretty articles of dress, or reading, while
! her eceusin, or, as she, too, called her,
Aunt Mary, worked in the kitchen, the
aairy, the poultry yard, from days dawn
I ill night
fS Sha was not all selfshness and heart
lessness, though there had grown q thick
Arust of both over her better nature. Her
11eas Of ladies and gentlemen depended
ahe had not yet quite realized how much
more nearly Johns standard reached the
desired point than her own.
SIS she drew near the house the sting of
Johns words penetrated more and more
xhrough the crust she had drawn over her
-khsart, until fresh stab had met her at the
<fsDor. Locking In at the open door, shs
.@x white head bowed in weeping, slight
Squire shaken by sobs.
Quickly through all the selfshness, self.
reproach struck at the girls heart, and in q
noment she was on her knees beside the
Sow chair, her arms around the weeping
woman.
~Oh. Aunt Mary, what is itf Oh. please
cant cry sol Oh, what has happened?"
sWhy, Daisy, dear"-through sobs that
wuuld not be checked at moments notics
don't mind me. I'm only tired. dearie-
Aonly tired"
Gould she have struck deeperi Tiredl
AZ 20. Homework does not become 2
enc ought to resi-, while young hands and
active feet take up the burdens. She was
very tired, this patient, old woman, who
had given her lifess work for others; first
Nsr her parents; then for an invalid brother,
lnsfly, for the orphan children; with such
Snnamerable acts Of neighborly kindness
- only the recording angel Of good deeds
knew.
Well might she be tiredi Il was new to
( her to be caressed, to have tender hands
saeAd her to her room and loosen her dress,
- tender voice coax her to lie down.
Now viii darken the window Daisy
sz1, sand You are to restl Sleep, Il you
soan, until dinner.time.s
But, Daisy. yen cannot make the
sainner.s
& vim Try. vas ths, quick ssply: and
Aznt Mary submitted.